If you've ever thought of getting a parrot as a pet, this might help you decide. In a nutshell (heh) parrots aren't pets, so, right there, that should help.
Just two rules to remember about parrots:
- Parrots are not pets
- Parrots are wild animals.
Below are some questions you can ask yourself to help you decide.
- If you’re not able to make a lifelong commitment to a pet that will most likely outlive you, don’t get a parrot.
- If you don't enjoy excruciating, crushing bites and puncture wounds to your fingers, face, lips, eyebrows, etc., don’t get a parrot.
- If you’re not a fan of animals that can scream at decibels so loud they can be heard in other zip codes, don’t get a parrot.
- If you'd rather not be woken up at first light by the aforementioned screams, don’t get a parrot.
- If you'd prefer to not have parrot food thrown all over the floor, don’t get a parrot.
- If you don't want to provide accommodations that can cost as much as an average mortgage payment, don’t get a parrot.
- If you’re not a fan of regular cage cleaning, don’t get a parrot (or, get an intern with tiny hands and lots of energy).
- If you don't find it fun to experience their extreme mood swings that can result in the aforementioned excruciating bites to your body parts, don’t get a parrot.
- If you don't consider it a design element to have feathers all over your house sticking to furniture, rugs and clothes, don’t get a parrot.
- If you’re not a fan of having your key chains, buttons, pens, pencils, paper, furniture or anything else you like / need / use chewed to pieces, don’t get a parrot.
- If you don't find it fun to have an animal in your house that can fly anywhere it wants to and leave behind droppings, chew marks and the aforementioned feathers, don’t get a parrot.
- If it's annoying to have to “baby-proof” your home for a voraciously curious feathered baby, don’t get a parrot.
- If you don't enjoy living with an animal that will have the emotional age of a toddler for its entire life, don’t get a parrot.
- If you're somewhat insecure about animals that are smarter than most humans, oftentimes yourself included, don’t get a parrot.
- If hearing the same words / phrases / noises / gobbledygook over and over and over and over and over and over again might make you want to go run into traffic, don’t get a parrot.
- If you don't find it amusing to buy toys just to watch them be destroyed in minutes over and over and over and over and over and over again, don’t get a parrot.
- If you’re not a fan of birds, feathers, beaks, crushing bites, loud noises, constant mess and frequent destruction, or anything at all avian-related, don’t get a parrot.
- However, if all of the above appeals to you and you're able to provide a home for a parrot, ADOPT a bird from a rescue organization. Just know they are truly wild animals and need a special kind of care. Please do not buy a bird from a pet store.
If you're interested in learning more, there's a PBS Nature show, "Parrot Confidential." You can watch it on their website (for free, I believe). You can also read an article about the show on the Salt Lake Tribune's website.
Remember, always adopt... never buy. If anyone is still interested in adopting a parrot and wants more info about parrot safety in the home, send me an email & I can point you to more info.
Ca-CAW! (OK that's probably more of a crow, but close enough.)